Down for the Count
After eating spiked cookies, Charlie and Candy find that they are temporarily unable to transform, along with getting them sick with something. With their top fighter and their medic out of commission, Goravan and Burgan have to improvise. Transcript (The Society is holding a battle-strategy meeting in Jennifer's room. Thankfully, almost no one else is around, so they can converse freely.) Goravan: (through Jennifer) So, Gonavon, you- (The doorbell rings.) What was that? Candy: I got it! (She slides down the banister and answers the door to find... No one. Just an innocuous plate of four cookies.) Hmm... (She picks up the plate and takes it to Jennifer's room.) Charlie: Who was- Mm, cookies! (She takes one and pops it in her mouth.) These are delicious! Jennifer: (She frowns.) Charlie, are you sure that was a good idea? Lena: She has a point; the exact number of cookies is somewhat unnerving. Candy: Oh, you two are too suspicious! Just try one! (She eats one as well; what's the harm?) Lena: I'll pass... Jennifer: I second that... Charlie: (She shrugs.) Okay, then. Suit yourselves. (She and Candy take the remaining two.) (The next day, after school...) Charlie: (She is holding her head.) Oww... Jennifer: What's up? Charlie: My head... It's killing me... Candy: (She runs off, and retching is heard.) Lena: It's those cookies! I knew it! Charlie: If this is an I-told-you-so, you can shove it! I am in serious pain! And I think Candy might be sick, too... Candy: You think?! I am practically- (She starts retching again, interrupting her little tirade.) Lena: Charlie, you need to learn some caution! You go through life full speed ahead, and when you hit the rocks, you cause serious damage to yourself! Those cookies could have been poison! And not only did you drag yourself down, you took Candy down with you! Honestly, Charlie! Charlie: Look, I know what the moral of the story is, and I've heard it a million times before: Lena's right, and Charlie's an idiot. Lena: Charlie, I never meant that! Candy: Would you two please stop fighting?! You know I hate it when you guys quarrel! (A massive scorpion is outside, destroying buildings and sweeping them out of the way with its tail.) Jennifer: Again?! Since the pool thing, these guys just keep on coming! Gonavon: (through Charlie) The better to improve my already-awesome fighting skills. (He tries to transform into himself, but fails.) What the-? (He tries again, only to meet the same result.) What is happening? Why am I stuck like this? Lena: I blame the cookies. Jennifer: (She buries her face in her hands.) Those cookies caused more trouble than we realized... Charlie: Look, I'm sorry I ate them, but there's nothing to be done now! Burgan: (through Lena) It appears we'll have to improvise, now that we've lost our medic and our strongest member. Charlie: Hey, I was starving! Burgan: (She gives a tired sigh.) Are all people as stubborn as you? Goravan: (She transforms into herself.) You two can continue your bickering later! Right now, we've got a problem! Come on, Burgan! (Burgan transforms and follows her friend out the window. Thankfully, they don't have to go too far to see the scorpion. It immediately notices them and takes a swing at Goravan, knocking her into a building. Enraged, Goravan summons her stick javelin and pierces the creature's skin, causing it to cry out. Burgan silences the creature by focusing her energy on its chelicerae and telekinetically holding them closed. Goravan repeatedly stabs the creature with the javelin - until the scorpion grabs it with its pincers and throws it somewhere. Burgan continues holding the mouth closed, but is beginning to feel exhaustion.) Burgan: I can't do this much longer! Goravan: (She grabs Burgan's hand.) I know you can. I know you will. (She flies away to get her javelin, leaving Burgan alone with the scorpion.) Burgan: So long as I don't lose focus... Please, let me be able to do this... (After considerable effort on Burgan's part, Goravan returns with her favorite weapon and stabs it into the scorpion's skin again. For the grand finale, she toasts it with a Sunbeam, destroying it for good. Burgan, almost totally exhausted, sighs with relief. She and Goravan fly back to the house before changing back into Lena and Jennifer and entering. They both hurry up to Jennifer's room to find Charlie sitting on the bed, looking fairly normal.) Jennifer: How are you feeling? Charlie: Still a little headache, but I think I'll get over it. Candy's getting some water. Lena: Good; she needs it. Charlie: Yeah. Hey, I'm sorry for, uh, snapping like that. I was still feeling the pain. I guess pain makes me mad. Lena: Everything makes you mad, Charlie. That's part of why we like you. Charlie: (She shoves Lena a little, but doesn't actually hurt her.) Shut up.